Colorado and the West is running out of water . . . (Denver: title, residential)

[Josseppie]

I have heard that we are going to have a dry summer followed by a wet winter. In fact the NWS has said its likely El Niño will develop the second half of this year and that would be great news for Colorado.

As far as the reservoirs I think it depends where you live. In Pueblo the experts have said they have more water then they did in the drought of 2002 so there is nothing to worry about.

[CosmicWizard]

Jazz...I like your spare tire analogy with regard to reservoirs. Seems right on the money to me.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

....In Pueblo the experts have said they have more water then they did in the drought of 2002 so there is nothing to worry about.

One thing I learned many years ago while writing for the Army was to only use the superlative tense, or anything close to it, on rare occasions.

Superlative tense speaks in absolutes, especially putting "est" on the ends of words, like wettest, driest, ugliest, and words that leave NO wiggle room such as: most, all, every, any, best, worst.

It might be okay to say "driest on record," but then the statement is qualified enough to be accurate.

You may have nothing to worry about, but I'd bet the people who run things have worried about it plenty and have contingency plans on their shelf if their "worries" come to pass. There is plenty to worry about.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

One thing I learned many years ago while writing for the Army was to only use the superlative tense, or anything close to it, on rare occasions.

Superlative tense speaks in absolutes, especially putting "est" on the ends of words, like wettest, driest, ugliest, and words that leave NO wiggle room such as: most, all, every, any, best, worst.

It might be okay to say "driest on record," but then the statement is qualified enough to be accurate.

You may have nothing to worry about, but I'd bet the people who run things have worried about it plenty and have contingency plans on their shelf if their "worries" come to pass. There is plenty to worry about.

That was in the context of Jazz saying the experts he has talked to are very worried about the next year or two. Everything I have read from the local papers say the exact opposite that, at least in Pueblo, the experts say we have enough water in reserve.

[wanneroo]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

That was in the context of Jazz saying the experts he has talked to are very worried about the next year or two. Everything I have read from the local papers say the exact opposite that, at least in Pueblo, the experts say we have enough water in reserve.

I would worry, until the snow starts falling again. If next winter is great, then you've got nothing to worry about, then. However, if next winter sucks, well....

[ca_north]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

.....Each year, an engaging seminar is held in Gunnison, Colorado: The Colorado Water Workshop. It is a forum where water issues facing the West, particularly the Colorado River Basin, are debated and discussed. For a number of years, many of the discussions there centered on how much "excess" water there might be in the Colorado River Basin and how it might be divided to accomodate the region's spiralling population growth. From the reports I have read from this year's workshop, those conversations have ceased.

Population growth has always been the core problem, not a "lack" of water. This should be self-evident in how overpopulation exacerbates so many chronic problems. Constant excuses for growth, and a whole economic system based on endless growth, should be the focus, not just conservation, rationing, dams, canals, etc. Those are band-aids.

This has been stated many times by scientists and ignored by leaders. It will continue to be ignored as long as growth is seen as progress rather than what it really is: depletion

[Antares45]

Originally Posted by ca_north

Population growth has always been the core problem, not a "lack" of water. This should be self-evident in how overpopulation exacerbates so many chronic problems. Constant excuses for growth, and a whole economic system based on endless growth, should be the focus, not just conservation, rationing, dams, canals, etc. Those are band-aids.

This has been stated many times by scientists and ignored by leaders. It will continue to be ignored as long as growth is seen as progress rather than what it really is: depletion

I would argue that the core problem is overconsumption of resources rather than population growth. One suburban home with an irrigated Kentucky Bluegrass lawn will use more water than an entire village in the Middle East. The energy requirements for a single McMansion could easily exceed that of an entire apartment building (a small apartment building, but the fact is the same.)

Improving standards of living is the only effective way to curb population growth. Closing the borders worked out spectacularly for North Korea; is this what you're advocating for Colorado? What are the other solutions for population growth? Eugenics? Genocide?

[xeric]

Originally Posted by Antares45

I would argue that the core problem is overconsumption of resources rather than population growth. One suburban home with an irrigated Kentucky Bluegrass lawn will use more water than an entire village in the Middle East. The energy requirements for a single McMansion could easily exceed that of an entire apartment building (a small apartment building, but the fact is the same.)

This is a good point. But I wouldn't consider it an either/or type of thing. Rather, the more resources used per capita, the smaller the population it takes to approach an area's carrying capacity. Or, in another sense, when you multiply per capita consumption by population you could make the case that the U.S. is currently the most overpopulated country in the world. So addressing population growth (in a humane way), managing development so that it at least doesn't perpetuate the types of lifestyles that encourage excessive consumption of resources, and reducing the rate of per-capita resource consumption are all important.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by ca_north

Population growth has always been the core problem, not a "lack" of water. This should be self-evident in how overpopulation exacerbates so many chronic problems. Constant excuses for growth, and a whole economic system based on endless growth, should be the focus, not just conservation, rationing, dams, canals, etc. Those are band-aids.

This has been stated many times by scientists and ignored by leaders. It will continue to be ignored as long as growth is seen as progress rather than what it really is: depletion

The birth rate in the United States is just about at replacement level, possibly a little below.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by Katiana

The birth rate in the United States is just about at replacement level, possibly a little below.

Until you add in 11-13 million illegal immigrants, with more all the time.